1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to flood control systems and, more particularly, to a system of flood control panels that can be interlocked to form a barrier against flood waters.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known in the art, a When disaster strikes, every second counts in preventing the loss of life or property. This is especially the case when dealing with floods where water can rise at alarming rates, engulfing entire towns and destroying family belongings that have been collected over many generations. As a result, family heirlooms such as photographs, antiques and other irreplaceable items risk being lost forever, without hope for recovery. This being the case, people are willing to go to great lengths to ensure the safety of their cities, their property, their homes and their belongings during floods caused by hurricanes, tornados and floods. Unfortunately, with the exception of sandbags, which are very labor intensive to fill and deploy, there are no temporary means to effectively thwart flood waters.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,067 discloses a system and method for construction of temporary watertight barriers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,919 discloses a Containment structure for controlling flood water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,929 discloses a Protective flood barrier consisting of attachable panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,090 discloses a Multistage hydraulic machine with water chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,316 discloses a Reusable flood barrier.
U.S. Pat. No. 972,059 discloses a Temporary wall for protecting against floods.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,810 discloses a Collapsible rubber dam to be secured to portions of riverbanks.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,736 discloses a Barrier with fluid-fillable body.
Consequently, there is a need for a means by which flood waters from natural disasters can be controlled in a manner that is quick, easy, and effective while doing it in a cost-effective manner.